Knock-down shelving structure



Sept. 3, 1963 w. B. SUTHERLAN KNOCK-DOWN SHELVING STRUCTURE Filed April 17. 1961 INVENTOR. Wat/AM 5. JU-Ti/EElA/V United States Patent 3,102,501 KNOCK-DOWN SHELVING STRUCTURE William B. Sutherlan, Rte. 1, Box 1254, Gig Harbor, Wash. Filed Apr. 17, 1961, Scr. No. 103,368 6 Claims. (Cl. 108-114) This invention relates to shelving such as may be employed for the storage of books, supplies, parts and the like. It is a primary object to provide a shelving structure of this general character which will be quite rigid, adequately strong and secure against collapse or accidental disassembly, which can be made inexpensively, utilizing, for instance, plywood uprights and shelves, and simple tension elements to secure and support the same in set up position, which requires essentially no tools for assembly or disassembly, and which can be readily set up in a given location and knocked down preparatory to moving it to a different location, whenever that may be found desirable, by anyone, however unskilled, capable of handling its individual components.

it is also an object to provide a shelving structure of the character indicated which affords an appreciable degree of flexibility as to vertical interval between shelves and as to lateral spacing between uprights.

Further, it is an object to provide a knock-down shelving structure which may be set up against a wall to the rear of it, and which permits the engaging of all elements, after a minimum amount of preparatory work, from the front of the structure.

It is also an object to provide a shelving structure of this nature in which the shelves themselves may, if desired, be locked in place against the possibility of outward or forward movement after having been set in place.

A still further object is to provide a shelving structure of this nature in which a back panel may be incorporated, if the user so desires, or which may omit a back panel, and one which, if a back panel is used, will securely lock the back panel in place when the entire structure is set up, yet will readily permit the removal of the back panel when the structure is in process of being knocked down.

With these objects in mind, and others as will appear more fully hereinafter, this invention comprises the novel shelving structure shown in representative forms in the accompanying drawing, and as will be more fully explained in this specification and the novel features whereof are set forth in the accompanying claims.

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a complete outside sectional unit and part of an adjoining intermediate unit.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken at the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, through the shelving structure.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view, the viewpoint being indicated by the line 33 in FlGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view, the viewpoint being indicated by the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged isometric detail view of a structure slightly modified in that it incorporates a back panel, looking from the rear forwardly.

Uprights to support the shelves are provided by the panels 1. These may be, for example, of plywood or other suitable material. A series of such panels are disposed in spaced-apart parallel relationship, an end panel and an intermediate panel being shown in FIGURE 1. In order to connect these panels and prevent further separation of one from another, and to from a support for the shelves, tension elements 2 are provided, preferably arranged in pairs at vertical intervals corresponding to the desired spacing vertically between shelves. These tension members 2 are quickly interengageable with and disengageable from the upright panels 1, this preferably 3,lli2,5ill Patented Sept. 3, 1963 being by a form of intercngagement that is accomplished, at least in part, by relative movement in the downward direction of the tension members relative to the uprights. Conveniently, this is accomplished by drilling a series of holes 10 and 11 in each of the panels 1, a hole 10 and a hole 11 at a given elevation constituting a pair, and each such series of holes being located at definite or predetermined spacings vertically, to afiord flexibility of vertical intervals between shelves, and by employing tension rods 2 which are formed at their ends with hooks 20. Each of the holes 10 and 11 is made sulliciently large to pass the hook 2t) of each rod 2, and then, when the rod is allowed to rest at the bottom of its holes, the hooks 20 engage the outside face of the upright 1 (that face which is distant from the horizontal extent of the tension rods), and prevent separation thereof. Tension rods of various lengths may be employed, if flexibility of spacing between uprights in difierent sectional units is desired.

Having installed the tension rods 2 in this or any equivalent manner, shelves 3, which also may be plywood panels, and which are cut to a length corresponding to the spacing between adjacent uprights 1, are put in place intermediate such uprights and each resting upon the pair of rods 2, one in the front holes 10 and the other in the rear holes 11. The rods 2 with their books 20 prevent separation of the uprights 1, and the shelves 3 when thus installed prevent approach of the uprights. The shelves resting upon the tension rods 2 prevent the latter from being raised readily, particularly when articles are supported upon the shelves, and as a result the shelving structure is held against separation of its parts and will support quite appreciable loads.

The structure would, however, be somewhat unstable without cross bracing; therefore, it is preferred to provide some type of cross bracing, to which end diagonal tension means 4 are employed. These extend from one upright 1 to another, usually to the next adjacent upright. There may be only one such tension member for each sectional unit of the shelving, but preferably there are two such members crossing one another, as best seen in FIGURE 1. These tension members 4 are similar to the tension rods 2 that support the shelves, and may be similarly engaged with the respective uprights, that is to say, by hooks 41 at their ends which interengage complemental means on the uprights by relative movement of the tension members 4 from front to rear within the interior of the several shelving sections. To this end, sheet metal clips 40 are provided, each having holes near its opposite ends. A hook 41 at the end of each tension element 4 engages in one such hole, and a nail, screw or similar element, best shown in FIGURES 3 and 5 at 42, extends through the hole in the opposite end of the clip and is driven into or otherwise secured in the rear edge of the upright panel 1. The installation of these clips is the only operation that requires use of a tool, and then only a hammer, or that must be done from the rear. This operation will normally be done at the factory, and no tool would be required on the job. Normally, since there would be two crossed tension elements 4 for each section of the shelving, two such clips 40 would be provided at each location, top and bottom, on the interior uprights of a multi-unit shelving structure, and both would be held in place by the same nail 42. It will be noted that, while the clips 40 are applied to the rear edge of the uprights, the books 41 of the tension elements 4 are engaged with these clips by movement from front to rear from within the shelving structure. Such engagement would occur prior to the installation of the shelves 3 and prior to installation of most if not all of the tension members 2.

It will be apparent that the setting up of the shelves requires only the erection of the upright panels 1 and their joining, normally first by the cross braces 4 and then by the tension rods 2 and shelves 3. When thus set up, the structure is quite rigid, yet the entire assembly is inexpensive and simple in construction. It requires no preparation other than the drilling of holes 10 and 11, the forming of books 20 and 41, and the cutting of shelves and tension members to correct length. It can readily be taken down by removing the shelves and the tension rods 2, and then the cross braces 4, all such operations being performed from the front of the shelving structure, and avoiding any necessity for gaining access to the rear of the structure. If a back is desired, a panel 5 (see FIGURE 5) which can be of thin but stiff composition material, or any other suitable material, may be installed following the installation of the cross bracing 4 and preceding the installation of the tension rods 2 and shelves 3. When the shelves are installed, the rear edges of these shelves will engage the front face of the back panel 5 and this panel is then held securely in place between the shelves and the cross braces 4. Such shelves may be less in depth by the thickness of the back panel than shelves used in a structure without a back panel, although the back panel need not be so thick as to displace the shelves appreciably forwardly.

For the purpose of more surely preventing any forward displacement of the shelves when they are supporting a back panel 5, or, indeed, in the absence of a back panel 5, if it is desired to positively prevent forward displacement of shelves, once installed, these shelves may be grooved lengthwise of their undersides, as indicated at 30, at locations to receive and fit over the rods 2 beneath them. These grooves 30 in the underside of the shelves will securely interlock with the rods 2 to prevent any forward displacement of the shelves and, if a back 5 is being held by the shelves, they serve further to prevent any forward displacement of the back panel. In the drawings, except for FIGURE 5, the shelves are shown merely resting upon the tension rods 2, and the undersides of the shelves are not in these views grooved, but the grooving is a further refinement that may be employed, if desired.

A shelving structure thus formed is of relatively inexpensive material, requires but little in the way of manufacturing or preparation, is adequately strong for most purposes, and can readily be set up or taken down, and when set up is quite rigid if a little care is taken to locate the nails 42 holding the clips 40 at the proper locations.

I claim as my invention:

1. A knock-down shelving structure comprising a plurality of panel uprights arranged in parallelism at given spacings apart, tension means generally horizontally disposed and interconnecting successive uprights, adjacent their front and their rear edges, respectively, at given vertical intervals, each tension means and each upright having complemental means releasably interengageable by relative vertical movement, shelves each of a length corresponding to the spacing between uprights, and each supported by a front and a rear tension means, diagonally arranged tension means extending between said uprights, at their edges, and complemental means carried by the uprights and by said diagonal tension means releasably interengaged by movement of the diagonal tension means directly rearwardly relative to the complemental means carried by the uprights, to brace the structure.

2. A knock-down shelving structure as in claim 1, including a back panel disposed uprightly between the rear edges of the shelves and the diagonal tension means, and locking the latter against disengagement from its complemental means by forward movement, prior to removal of the shelves.

3. A knock-down shelving structure as in claim 2, including means interengageablc between the underside of certain of the shelves and their supporting horizontally disposed tension means by their relative vertical movement, and locking the shelves against disengagement prior to removal of the shelves.

4. A knock-down shelving structure comprising a plu rality of panel uprights arranged in parallelism at given spac ngs apart, tension means generally horizontally disposed and interconnecting successive uprights, adjacent their front and their rear edges, respectively, at given vertical intervals, each such tension means and each upright having complemental means releasably interengageable by relative vertical movement, shelves each of a length corresponding to the space between uprights, and each supported from a front and a rear tension means, diagonally arranged tension means extending between said uprights, at the rear edges thereof, hooks at the ends of said diagonal tension means, clips secured by one end to said uprights and extending thence in alignment with said diagonal tension means, said clips being apertured at their free ends for engagement by the hooked ends of the diagonal tension means.

5. A knock-down shelving structure comprising a plurality of panel uprights arranged in parallelism at given spacings apart, horizontal tension rods releasably interconnecting succcssive uprights and arranged in pairs, one adjacent the front and the other adjacent the rear, at given vertical intervals, shelves each of a length corresponding to the spacing between uprights, and each having grooves extending lengthwise of its underside, at spacings corresponding to the spacing between rods, and each resting upon and closely embracing its pair of rods, the latter within said grooves, diagonal cross bracing means interconnecting the uprights, and a back panel disposed uprightly intermediate the rear edges of the shelves and the cross bracing means.

6. A knockdown shelving structure comprising a plurality of panel uprights arranged in parallelism at given spacings apart, and each having apertures spaced verti cally by a given interval adjacent its front edge and likewise adjacent its rear edge, tension rods each hooked at its opposite ends and disposed horizontally with its opposite ends hooked within the apertures in adjoining panels, cross braces extending diagonally from one upright panel to the next, and each hooked at its opposite ends, clips each apertured at an end, and secured to each panel at locations to receive the hooked ends of the cross braces, and shelves of a length corresponding to the spacing between uprights, each resting upon a front and rear tension rod, and thereby maintaining the spacing between upright panels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 303,759 Starr Aug. 19, 1884 327,592 Reed Oct. 6, 1885 1,024,922 Beecher Apr. 30, 1912 1,795,060 Vance Mar. 3, 1931 1,855,242 Jarvis Apr. 26, 1932 2,240,395 Evans Apr. 29, 1941 2,302,962 Laucks Nov. 24, 1942 2,366,676- Rosenthal Jan. 2, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 200,097 Australia Nov. 9, 1955 

4. A KNOCK-DOWN SHELVING STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PANEL UPRIGHTS ARRANGED IN PARALLEISM AT GIVEN SPACINGS APART, TENSION MEANS GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED AND INTERCONNECTING SUCCESSIVE UPRIGHTS, ADJACENT THEIR FRONT AND THEIR REAR EDGES, RESPECTIVELY, AT GIVEN VERTICAL INTERVALS, EACH SUCH TENSION MEANS AND EACH UPRIGHT HAVING COMPLEMENTAL MEANS RELEASABLY INTERENGAGEABLE BY RELATIVE VERTICAL MOVEMENT, SHELVES EACH OF A LENGTH CORRESPONDING TO THE SPACE BETWEEN UPRIGHTS, AND EACH SUPPORTED FROM A FRONT AND A REAR TENSION MEANS, DIAGONALLY ARRANGED TENSION MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID UPRIGHTS, AT THE REAR EDGES THEREOF, HOOKS AT THE ENDS OF SAID DIAGONAL TENSION MEANS, CLIPS SECURED BY ONE END TO SAID UPRIGHTS AND EXTENDING THENCE IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID DIAGONAL TENSION MEANS, SAID CLIPS BEING APERTURED AT THEIR FREE ENDS FOR ENGAGEMENT BY THE HOOKED ENDS OF THE DIAGONAL TENSION MEANS. 